Lady Cyclones beat Clarksville in threeThe Russellville Lady Cyclones volleyball team sent the Clarksville Lady Panthers packing with a 25-10, 25-8, 25-8 drubbing on Tuesday inside Cyclone Arena. "We did a good job of playing our side of the net," Lady Cyclones head coach Cindy Jones said after the match. "We were trying to keep it fast-paced, and we got to look at some different people in different spots." Russellville was led in scoring by Bailey Wilbers with 10 kills. Brittany P...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Tigers too much for Lizards, 36-23CHARLESTON -- The Dardanelle Sand Lizards started their 2016 season opener trailing by two touchdowns and looked everything liked a team with only three returning starters on both sides of the ball. However, Dardanelle improved throughout the game, as the Sand Lizards defense forced Charleston's high-power offense into three turnovers and held the Tigers to only one score in the second half as they fell 36-23 on Tuesday at Tigers Stadium. The ...

RHS cheer raising funds for Nationals with clinicThe Russellville High School cheerleaders want to make their third trip to the Universal Cheerleaders Association Nationals High School Cheerleading Championships at Disney World -- but they need money to do it. The cheerleaders are raising money with the annual Mini-Cyclone Cheer Clinic on Sept. 6 and Sept. 8 from 4 to 6 p.m. inside the RHS cheer and dance safe room. The cost of the camp is $25 and includes a T-shirt. Participants will learn ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Little Johns skin GatorsDANVILLE -- It was a long night with a short clock for the Two Rivers Gators on Tuesday at Little John Field. Danville raced to a 49-0 lead by halftime -- already enough to force a mercy rule -- and held on for a 49-6 final. The Little Johns (1-0) racked up 383 yards of total offense on 30 plays in the first half -- roughly 12.5 yards per play. "I thought we played well," Danville head coach D.J. Crane said. "I thought we played hard, but ther...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSONsports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Lady Cyclones volleyball team improves at SpikefestLITTLE ROCK -- The Russellville Lady Cyclones volleyball team tied for first in pool play at Spikefest over the weekend, but were bumped from the tournament in the first round by Pulaski Academy. Still, Russellville head coach Cindy Jones believes her team is getting better each time they step on the floor. "We played well in pool play," she said. "Seemed to start to come together more. We're getting used to playing together, and we're getting...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pirate Nation mourns Dawson McAlisterDOVER -- Greg Smith had no words to describe what Dawson McAlister, 17, who died on Sunday as the result of an ATV accident the night before, meant to the Dover Pirates football team. "I don't know that I can describe him," the head coach said, his voice wavering slightly. "I haven't had to do that much yet. He was a good teammate and a solid brother. He was carrying everybody around to the gym down in Russellville. He was always helping his t...

Sand Lizards travel to CharlestonDARDANELLE -- The Sand Lizards begin the 2016 football campaign three days earlier than the majority of the state. In the past, the Sand Lizards have opened against cross-county rival Danville for the annual Judges Cup -- but those days are gone. Last year's Judges Cup, a 42-0 victory by Dardanelle, was the final match-up for the foreseeable future. The Sand Lizards swapped out the traditional season-opening game for a brawl with the Charlesto...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Gators head to Little John countryDANVILLE -- Not long ago, the Danville Little Johns and Two Rivers Gators were 3A-4 Conference rivals, but times have changed. The Little Johns dropped down a classification -- strictly speaking, they are the smaller school, but in terms of football participation, Danville has a distinct advantage. "Numbers-wise, we are a 3A team with 2A numbers," Gators head coach Josh Harrison said. "So they just moved down to 2A, but that don't mean too muc...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Junior Little Johns powered by skill kidsDANVILLE -- The Danville Junior Little Johns are young, but head coach Joseph Morse expects nothing but the same competitive Junior Little Johns team he's grown accustomed to. Danville went 8-1 in 2015 and finished as 3A-4 Conference runners-up. Now they've moved down to the 2A-4, and Morse sees a bright future for the Little Johns. "We have a lot of talented kids," he said. "It's very beneficial moving down to the 2A-4. We have a lot of young...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Junior Wildcats run off dominant lineHECTOR -- The Junior Wildcats football team has one goal -- to outwork its opponents. Hector head coach Kyle Russell said he may not field the most talented players compared to the teams on the schedule, but he's sure they'll be more physical. "We talk all the time that we're not going to be overly athletic or more athletic than the other teams," Russell said. "But our M.O. is to be more physical and to get our kids to play downhill." Everythi...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Lady Whirlwinds volleyball loses two straightCONWAY -- The Russellville Junior High Lady Whirlwinds volleyball team fell to rival Conway Blue Junior Lady Wampus Cats 12-25, 20-25 on Wednesday. Leading scorers were Gracie Wells with three points, one ace and two kills. Cindy Gonzalez scored two points, one ace and a kill. Olivia Barnes, Ingrid Christensen and Hannah Vines had one kill each. The eighth-grade team defeated Conway 19-25, 25-20, 15-4 to win their second straight game. Lizzy C...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Apaches travel to OzarkOZARK -- The Pottsville Apaches golf team traveled to Ozark to compete against West Fork, Charleston and Ozark. Pottsville placed third with a score of 138. The match was won by Ozark with a score of 124, followed by Charleston with 133. Logan Porter medaled with a score of 38. Pottsville's Blane Boyd and Isaac Simpson each shot 50. The Lady Apaches only had two participants at the match. Cheyenne Carillo shot 45 to medal, and Brooklyn Maggard...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Lady Cyclones grab first winThe Russellville Lady Cyclones volleyball team bounced back from a season-opening loss to the Paris Lady Eagles by topping the Sprindgale Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday inside Cyclone Arena. The Lady Cyclones (1-1) defeated Springdale in three sets. Bailey Wilbers had seven kills and 12 assists. Emily Posey had seven kills. Tamera Rhode had four kills and five blocks. But Russellville opened its season with a 3-1 stumble to the Lady Eagles. Lady Cyc...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Pirates take on GreenwoodGREENWOOD -- The Dover Pirates traveled to Greenwood for its second annual match against head coach Megan Kelley's alma mater. The Pirates finished second with a round of 141. Greenwood won with a round of 114, followed by Springdale with 143. The Lady Pirates also placed second with a round of 157. Mallory Goates placed second with around of 40 (+4). Hannah Noblett finished fourth with 55. Greg Wooten shot five-over par for a fifth-place finish.

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sand Lizards take 3rdBOONEVILLE -- The Dardanelle Sand Lizards golf team competed against Mena, Mansfield, Booneville and Waldron on Tuesday in nine holes. Dardanelle placed third with a team score of 146. The match was won by Mena with 127, followed by Waldron with 135. Drew Bunting led the Sand Lizards with a round of 45, followed by Tyler Turnbow with 48 and Tre Harper with 53. The Lady Sand Lizards' lone competitor was Megan Davenport, who shot a round of 56. ...

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Courier sports staffThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Sorrels, Byrd honored at benefit gameCLARKSVILLE -- Charlie Sorrels and Don Byrd were honored at the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA) Benefit game between the Atkins Red Devils and Clarksville Panthers. Sorrels, who spent 39 years at Atkins High School as head coach and later as athletic director, and Byrd, who is the winningest head coach in Clarksville history, paid respect to a decades-old rivalry between the two schools during Monday's scrimmage. "You have Clarksville an...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

RHS Cyclone History: John Feltner's legendThe Russellville Cyclones have a rich tradition in track and field and have won nine state championships in school history. The first title came 65 years ago in 1951 when the Coach Marvin Salmon's Cyclones won the Class A state championship (back then, there were only three state classifications in track and field: AA, A and B). In fact, the first track and field championship for the Cyclones almost happened 17 years earlier in 1934 when Coach...

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BY STAN COCHRAN
cochrans@hotmail.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Weather amends Cyclone ExtravaganzaInclement weather put a damper on the festivities planned for Saturday's Cyclone Extravaganza. Due to the high probability of thunderstorms, half the festivities will be moved to Aug. 26. "Due to weather, we will have to make some changes to the schedule," Russellville athletic director Johnny Johnson said in an email on Thursday. "We will still have the 5K race and the lunch cookout and the volleyball scrimmages, but we will move all evening ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Turf project nearly complete at CHSCLARKSVILLE -- The Panthers' $680,000 artificial turf upgrade is nearing completion. The project, which broke ground in July, is expected to be ready for Clarksville's season opener against the Lamar Warriors. "They are working on it right now," first-year head coach Khris Buckner said. "I believe we are getting close to the dusting phase, getting close to putting the tire down. That'll take four days. "Once that is complete, the field should ...

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BY TRAVIS SIMPSON
sports@couriernews.comThe Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley